they had to make haste when they flew down to Central America. Word was circulating that an extremely powerful black magic sorcerer had heard of you, and he wanted your powers for himself. He had plans to abduct and ensorcel you. They had flown down to Guatemala to meet with a powerful brujo and curandero. They sought to find a way to protect you. Sadly, they never made it to their intended destination.”
“I f that was true, why hasn’t he already done it? I could have been ensorcelled at any time.” She pursed her lips in sarcasm. “Ensorcelled,” she scoffed.
“There is an age at which a woman begins her ripening – she begins her bloom into fullness and her child-self falls away. He knew he had to wait.”
“For?”
“The year in which you turned 26.”
“I’m 26 now. Just…” The words fell from her lips. The room started a lazy spin, as if she was twirling in slow motion on the Mad Hatters Teacups in Disneyland. Her third eye throbbed. The goddess apparition swirled in her head, along with the sinister one. This was too much. It was just too much to take in. She let her forehead drop on the desk once more, quelling her inner sight.
“ Mija. Mija. Talk to me. Can I get you anything?”
She rolled her head back and forth in the negative, feeling the smooth surface grind against her skin and skull. A small, squeaky voice croaked out of her throat. “Just tell me what the lapis is used for.”
Diego cleared his throat. “I know this one by heart. It’s a sacred stone used in ancient Egypt. I used this stone often in your mother’s jewelry. But I never possessed one as fine as this. It’s used to prevent psychic attack and awaken the third eye. It’s believed to hold the energy of a star-filled sky and bestow limitless wisdom on the wearer. It can keep and protect a relationship. I placed lapis lazuli in the necklace that your mother wore to Guatemala on her last journey there. We think the black sorcerer stole this, as well as the other jewelry, in order to gather power. What he has used them for is not known.”
“Who is this ‘we’?” she said weakly.
“I’ll tell you, but this conversation must never leave your lips. Do I have your word on this?”
Marissa nodded.
“The Numina.”
Marissa’s eyes widened. That’s what Daniel said.
“ It is an eclectic network of individuals of different abilities worldwide of which I am a part. Many of our members are quite wealthy and powerful. We are part of the white arts, not the black. We practice in secret. The only reason I am telling you this is…is…is because of this.” He swept his arm across the table, indicating the gems. “It’s time you knew. I think you are to play a part.” He paused and tapped his fingers lightly on the desk. “Our members stir revolution behind the scenes. We restore order. We keep the world in balance against the forces of evil.” He made a derisive face and rubbed his eyes again. “Your mother was not a part of the group, but she was always welcome. Her skills were used from time to time.” He looked towards the bookcase and then brought his eyes to hers. “She was sought after, actually. We wanted her to be a part of our group. She could have brought tremendous power to our organization.”
“I see.” Marissa arms hung limply from her shoulders. She wondered if she’d ever be able to sit up again.
“Mija.”
“What?”
“Please sit up.”
“No.” She imagined herself to be five years old, in the midst of a tantrum.
“Please.”
“No.”
The clock continued to tick. Marissa continued to breathe. In breath. Out breath. In breath. Out breath.
“M i pajarito,” Diego said. He placed his warm hand on her back. “My little bird, come back to me.”
S he slowly sat up. She pictured her eyes as shriveled Puffer fish in ocean beds that had been drained of life and sustenance. She imagined them to be resting within the small, bony craters of her skull, dried orbs that could be
“I f that was true, why hasn’t he already done it? I could have been ensorcelled at any time.” She pursed her lips in sarcasm. “Ensorcelled,” she scoffed.
“There is an age at which a woman begins her ripening – she begins her bloom into fullness and her child-self falls away. He knew he had to wait.”
“For?”
“The year in which you turned 26.”
“I’m 26 now. Just…” The words fell from her lips. The room started a lazy spin, as if she was twirling in slow motion on the Mad Hatters Teacups in Disneyland. Her third eye throbbed. The goddess apparition swirled in her head, along with the sinister one. This was too much. It was just too much to take in. She let her forehead drop on the desk once more, quelling her inner sight.
“ Mija. Mija. Talk to me. Can I get you anything?”
She rolled her head back and forth in the negative, feeling the smooth surface grind against her skin and skull. A small, squeaky voice croaked out of her throat. “Just tell me what the lapis is used for.”
Diego cleared his throat. “I know this one by heart. It’s a sacred stone used in ancient Egypt. I used this stone often in your mother’s jewelry. But I never possessed one as fine as this. It’s used to prevent psychic attack and awaken the third eye. It’s believed to hold the energy of a star-filled sky and bestow limitless wisdom on the wearer. It can keep and protect a relationship. I placed lapis lazuli in the necklace that your mother wore to Guatemala on her last journey there. We think the black sorcerer stole this, as well as the other jewelry, in order to gather power. What he has used them for is not known.”
“Who is this ‘we’?” she said weakly.
“I’ll tell you, but this conversation must never leave your lips. Do I have your word on this?”
Marissa nodded.
“The Numina.”
Marissa’s eyes widened. That’s what Daniel said.
“ It is an eclectic network of individuals of different abilities worldwide of which I am a part. Many of our members are quite wealthy and powerful. We are part of the white arts, not the black. We practice in secret. The only reason I am telling you this is…is…is because of this.” He swept his arm across the table, indicating the gems. “It’s time you knew. I think you are to play a part.” He paused and tapped his fingers lightly on the desk. “Our members stir revolution behind the scenes. We restore order. We keep the world in balance against the forces of evil.” He made a derisive face and rubbed his eyes again. “Your mother was not a part of the group, but she was always welcome. Her skills were used from time to time.” He looked towards the bookcase and then brought his eyes to hers. “She was sought after, actually. We wanted her to be a part of our group. She could have brought tremendous power to our organization.”
“I see.” Marissa arms hung limply from her shoulders. She wondered if she’d ever be able to sit up again.
“Mija.”
“What?”
“Please sit up.”
“No.” She imagined herself to be five years old, in the midst of a tantrum.
“Please.”
“No.”
The clock continued to tick. Marissa continued to breathe. In breath. Out breath. In breath. Out breath.
“M i pajarito,” Diego said. He placed his warm hand on her back. “My little bird, come back to me.”
S he slowly sat up. She pictured her eyes as shriveled Puffer fish in ocean beds that had been drained of life and sustenance. She imagined them to be resting within the small, bony craters of her skull, dried orbs that could be
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